1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to energy management and more particularly to methods for charging batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, have become very popular in today's marketplace. Virtually all of these devices receive their power from a portable, rechargeable battery. For some models, the portable electronic device is coupled to a charging unit, such as a desktop charger, to allow the battery of the portable electronic device to be recharged.
Presently, when a battery is fully charged, there are several visual indicators that may be employed to provide notice to a user that the battery is ready for use. For example, many portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, display a message that indicates that the charging process is complete. Alternatively, some of the charging units are equipped with a light emitting diode (LED) to signal when the battery is charged to capacity. Such indicators may be useful to many users; however, some users may suffer from poor or impaired vision, which may prevent them from determining when the portable electronic device is ready for use.